May 21, 2023

DIY Gift Box: How to Create Unique Gifts Delivered Straight to Their Doorstep

gifts packed in Build-Your-Own Custom Gift Boxes

Imagine your friend opening the gift box that you put together for them to celebrate a milestone in their life. There’s a lovely scent coming from the box, they notice. Is that chocolate?

Ever so carefully, they undo the ribbon and lift the lid off of the box. A small gasp escapes their lips and their whole face lights up with animated joy.

They open the card placed on top of a box of salted caramels and laugh out loud when they read the inside joke you had both shared for years.

A warmth slowly blossoms within their chest as they behold the wonderful gifts you picked out for them.

A DIY gift box is perfect for showing your appreciation to your loved ones because it shows the special care and time you put in just for them.

Giften Market’s mission is to help you build a custom gift box that will leave a lasting impression on your gift recipient.

Today, we’re going to show you how to make a DIY gift box that’s:

Intentionally curated to the recipient’s personal interests and situation
Sure to put a smile on your recipient’s face and make them feel special
Functional and enjoyable to use

Follow this guide to ensure that you put together a beautiful, detail-oriented gift box.

1 - Shop for the Occasion and Stick to the Budget

Occasions mark special milestones in our lives, so it’s super important that we make them as memorable as possible for our loved ones.

A DIY gift box stands head and shoulders above other gifts because the recipient can see the care and thought that you put into helping them celebrate a special event in their life.

A small gift basket with a few personalized items that they will love to use is always better than a bigger one with random mass-produced junk (and it costs less!).

Let’s say that you’re putting together a get-well-soon gift basket for a friend who is recovering from a successful surgery. They’ve received instructions from their doctor to take it easy and stay home and recover.

With this in mind, you can add a scented candle to help them relax, a spa pillow to soothe their migraines, and a box of chocolates to tickle their sweet tooth.

These are all functional and budget-friendly gifts that your friend will definitely cherish and make their recovery process smooth and bearable.

Bonus: Giften Market gives you a free Gift Message Card at checkout where you can add your gift message.

Giften Market has a highly interactive website that lets you build a gift box from scratch. One of its best features is that it allows you to filter according to different occasions, such as:

To get the most out of your DIY gift box, set a hard spending limit so you don’t get carried away and buy too many things.

2 - Choose an Intriguing Theme and Color Scheme

Did you know that it’s scientifically proven that color affects our moods?

Warm colors, such as red, yellow, and orange, inspire feelings of warmth, joy, and optimism; while cool colors, including purple, blue, and green, invoke feelings of serenity, safety, and intelligence.

By considering the color scheme for your DIY gift box, you can optimize the mood of the recipient when they unwrap and view your color-coordinated gift basket.

Here is a table of some colors and their effects on mood.

Color	Effects On Mood	Recommended Occasions/Themes
Red	Excitement Energy Passion	Weddings and wedding anniversaries
Yellow	Happy Warmth Optimism	Birthdays Get well soon Summer gatherings
Orange	Creativity Motivation Enthusiasm	Fall celebrations Housewarming
Blue	Serenity Calmness Trust	Spa days Sympathy gifts Baby showers
Green	Harmony Growth Balance	Birthday Spring celebrations Gardening themed gifts

For example, by ensuring that the contents of a get-well-soon gift box are in a warm soothing color such as yellow or orange, the recipient experiences a much-needed mood boost when they unwrap your gift.

You might also consider choosing a specific theme for your gift box. A theme is a brilliant way of integrating aspects of the recipient's personality into a gift to make it personalized.

For example, if you’re buying a gift for a friend who loves movies, consider assembling a gift box with a movie night theme. Add three jars of colored popcorn kernels, a gummy candy, and variations of popcorn seasonings such as sriracha or caramel.

Your friend will probably call you to gush about how much they love the gift you sent them.

Giften Market has gifting experts who are well-versed in putting together well-balanced theme boxes that are sure to wow your loved ones with their attention to detail.

Consider how we laid out our brunch gift basket, for example. The theme is brunch and the colors are yellow balanced with black and white. Imagine your recipient's excitement when they think of all the amazing recipes they can have for a luxurious breakfast by using your gift box.

Furthermore, the sensation is further enhanced by the lovely yellow colors of the gift box.

“I ordered this box for my clients as a thank-you gift, and the message I got back was so heartwarming. The box was a hit! I will definitely keep on using your boxes as thank-you gifts.” — Laura C., Verified Brunch Box Buyer

The table below shows some popular gift themes and gift ideas.

Theme	Gift Ideas
Movie night	Colored popcorn kernels Popcorn seasonings Movie streaming subscription
Spa day	Bath bombs Massage oils Soft towels Candles
Coff e e lovers	Specialty coffee beans Personalized mug Coffee grinder
Travelers	Travel journal Scratch-off world map Travel accessories

3 - Find and Select the Perfect Gifts for a Memorable Gift Box

A memorable gift box is made when the recipient’s personality and desires are taken into consideration at every stage of its curation.

The fact that it’s creative and relevant to them shows just how much they mean to you.

So, how do you determine the perfect gifts to use for your gift box that your loved ones will adore?

First, take a pen and paper, and for five minutes, write down the first things that come to mind when you think of the giftee. For example, if your friend is into cooking you might write down spices, chocolate, cheese, wine, and so forth.
Next, think of a fond memory you share with the person you’re gifting and note down items that remind you of the moments you shared.

Maybe it’s an old college friend and you want to remind them of a tea shop you used to frequent. So, you think of buying them a special tea they were fond of ordering at the time.
Lastly, think back to anything your loved one might have been complaining about recently. For instance, maybe they’ve been super stressed at work and they need a spa day. Naturally, you make them the ultimate spa gift basket.

Now that you have an idea of what items to look for, you just have to source them.

As a rule of thumb, don’t purchase anything that has been mass-produced. Mass-made gifts are commonplace and take the joy and intention out of gifting.

The idea is to find something unique that shows the recipient you’ve put in ample time and thought to put together your DIY gift box.

Consider buying gifts from small businesses. They offer personalized items that are unique, eco-friendly, and handmade, so you can be assured of their quality and rarity.

With your brainstormed ideas in hand, go window shopping at local boutiques and craft shops and see if anything stands out to you.

Ask questions about the distinctive qualities of items that catch your eye and if they’re available in a color that matches your chosen color scheme.

Alternatively, if you don’t have time to go shopping in person, go to the Giften Market website and add the Build-Your-Own Gift Box to the cart.

Browse our catalog and add the products that align with your brainstormed ideas and selected color scheme and theme to your cart.

All products listed on the Giften Market are ethically sourced from more than 150 small businesses such as underrepresented entrepreneurs, small batch makers, and artisan studios from around the world.

Our website was created with the goal of an excellent customer experience in mind. We have an assortment of filters such as availability and product type to help you narrow down your search as much as possible.

Expert Tip: Take our gifter’s quiz to help you come up with some ideas for your DIY gift box.

4 - Add Personalized Final Touches

white Build-Your-Own Custom Gift Boxes with a white gift card

You’ve lovingly purchased gifts that are sure to blow the socks off of your recipient, and now it’s time to arrange them into a box and ship them straight to their doorstep.

But there are a few things you should consider before you send them off.

First and foremost, think about the type of box that you’ll package your gifts in. Select a strong and sturdy box with enough space to beautifully arrange your presents in a presentable manner.

You might want to add fillers such as tissue paper or shredded paper to cushion fragile items and prevent them from shifting when shipping.

Secondly, wrap the gift box with a ribbon or twine to add a decorative flair. This extra attention to detail is sure to be appreciated by your recipient.

Lastly, add a handwritten note addressed to the gift receiver with a personalized message that lets them know how much they mean to you.

This way, they know who the gift box is from and who to thank for making their day extra special.

After you’ve placed your order of the Build-Your-Own Gift Box with Giften Market, we’ll send the selected items out in a white box wrapped with a pretty satin bow and ensure that the gifts are aesthetically laid out on crinkle paper.

The entire process, from order to delivery, usually happens in two business days and we provide you with a tracking link that lets you follow the journey of your gift box from our headquarters to your recipient.

“The handwritten note was just the cherry on top of a wonderful experience. The purchase was easy and the shipping was super fast.” — Alison T., Verified Buyer

Expert Tip: When packing the gift box, layer smaller items on top of the larger ones. This will create a sense of depth and make the gift box look more visually appealing.

Build the Best DIY Gift Box and Make Your Loved One’s Day

A DIY gift box is the perfect way to impress a friend or family member with your creativity on a memorable occasion.

Giften Market allows you to choose from a diverse product catalog sourced from more than 150 small businesses around the world.

We are a one-stop shop for handmade, eco-friendly, and detail-oriented products that'll give your DIY gift box a unique aspect to woo your recipients.

Browse our product catalog today and show your loved ones just how much they mean to you.

“The recipient of this gift box called me immediately after receiving it to say how lovely and practical it was.” — Joanne H., Verified Gift Box Buyer